Bleach- A Quiet While
by xXSheltieXx
Summary: Kensei has always liked peace and quiet; most people do. But one day, he awakens without the screams of his Lieutenant, Mashiro Kuna.


Kensei Muguruma-Captain of the Ninth Division. This Captain opened his eyes sleepily and looked at the clock on the wall. 6 a.m. Something was off, but he couldn't quite place it. He shrugged and stood, waiting. But waiting for what? That was it. His Lieutenant, Mashiro Kuna, hadn't come into his room and scream in his ear, whining for him to wake up and start the day.

It was odd for Mashiro, but Kensei didn't mind the peace and quiet. He walked into his bathroom and took a warm shower, then brushed his teeth. After a while, it was too quiet for his liking. He thought about Mashiro, the cute, little, mostly-annoying, strong girl who he called Lieutenant.

He dismissed the thought of her quietness today, and got dressed, walking out of his room to join his fellow Visored. Little did he know what was actually going on with his Lieutenant.

Mashiro sat on her bed; she hadn't gotten any sleep. She just sat on her bed, thinking about him. The one that clouded her mind, the one that occupied her thoughts, the one that always yelled at her when she whined. She didn't whine for the sake of being annoying, she whined because she liked him. Like when a mommy tells her little girl that the little boy pushed her and called her names because he liked her.

The small Visored girl sat on her bed, her usually cheery, peppy, whiny attitude replaced with a quiet, strict, and calm face. Kensei, her Captain, clouded her thoughts. Everything she thought about had Kensei somewhere in the picture, even when she didn't want him to be there.

She'd envision strolling through a candy store that had a huge free sale in the World of the Living, and behind her was Kensei.

She'd imagine fighting enemies, and somewhere, even if he was blurry, Kensei was by her side, ready to fight.

Mashiro would think about playing games, and with who? Kensei, of course.

Every thought, even hunger, sleepiness, and boredom, Kensei was in the picture. And smiling, too.

She smiled slightly at the thought of his smile. Kensei had his way of being nice, everyone did. But the years of her own childish whining and his scolding, which was rather harsh, got to her, finally. She inhaled and exhaled, standing up from her bed.

"I will be calm and act my age," She said to herself, stifling the thought of acting like an old woman. 'Odd' enough, Kensei was in that thought, too.

All Visoreds, save for Ichigo, were sat in their personal meeting hall. Shinji Hirako, Captain of the Fifth Division, Love Aikawa, former Captain of the Seventh Division, 'Rose' Rojuro Otoribashi, former Captain of the Third Division, Hiyori Sarugaki, former Lieutenant of the Twelfth Division, 'Hacchi' Hachigen Ushoda, former Lieutenant of the Kido Corps, Lisa Yadomaru, former Lieutenant of the Eighth Division, and Kensei Muguruma, Captain of the Ninth Division, sat in the building, waiting for the screaming wail that they called Mashiro Kuna.

But the sound never came.

"Kensei, where is Mashiro?" Shinji asked, sighing.

"I don't know. She didn't bitch and yell at me this morning. Haven't seen her since yesterday." Kensei's voice sounded slightly regretful.

"Did you do something to upset the poor girl?" Hacchi asked quietly.

"What could I do that would upset the annoying brat?! I yell at her and she never listens, so why would it make her quiet?!" Kensei responded.

Lisa sighed.

"Something you wanna say, Lisa?" Kensei pointed a finger at her.

Lisa flipped to the next page in her magazine. "You are such an oblivious fool, you know, Kensei?"

"What? What do you mean?" Kensei raised a brow, a few others looking at Lisa, waiting for an answer.

She sighed and slapped her magazine on the table. "Mashiro likes you, Kensei, it's fairly obvious, isn't it, Hiyori?"

"Huh? I thought they knew that already," Hiyori said, picking her ear with her pinkie finger.

"No, she just likes to piss me off," Kensei said, crossing his arms.

"No, I'm a girl, Hiyori is a girl, don't you think we'd know? Anyways, she's always had a crush on you. She told me a long time ago. Her exact words were, 'Kensei is pretty cute. Don't tell anyone, but I really like him.'" Lisa sighed, flipping the page of her magazine.

"Then why did you just tell us that?" Love asked.

"Because it has to be obvious, but you're all too dumb to realize it! Mashiro Kuna has a crush on Kensei, end of story!" Lisa angrily flipped another page in her magazine.

The guys looked to Hiyori, who sighed. "Yeah, of course she likes you! That's why she bugs you all the time! Ever wonder why boys push girls into mud puddles?!"

"Wait, then that means you like me, don't you, Hiyori?" Shinji laughed as Hiyori kicked him in the face. "That hurt, I was kidding!"

"Remember not to kid next time, idiot,"

"Don't call me an idiot, stupid."

"Don't call me stupid, baldy!"

"I'm not bald!" Shinji yelled, the two having a stare-off.

The doors suddenly opened and closed quietly, the small, green-haired girl walking in quietly. Her hazel eyes were level and calm, and she had a gentle smile on her face. She sat down where she always sat and quietly drew on the paper she'd left there. She didn't even hum a tune or whine when her crayon broke or her pencil's lead snapped. She simply started a different color or sharpened the pencil.

All eyes were on her. "Yes, friends?" Her voice was level and calm, but still high-pitched.

"Mashiro, why are you so quiet?" Shinji asked, a frown on his face.

"I'm just doing what my Captain asked me to do," Mashiro replied, continuing to draw on her paper.

"What did you say, Kensei?" Hacchi asked.

"I dunno, ask her!"

"What did Kensei say to you, Mashiro?" Rose asked.

"He told me to stop bitching and whining and act my age, so I am." She smiled, continuing to draw.

Everyone waited for a laugh or an 'I got you' from the green-haired, scarfed girl, but nothing ever came.

"Lisa, ask her to act normal!" Shinji said.

Lisa sighed. "Mashiro, why are you being... not Mashiro?"

"A Lieutenants orders from his or her Captain are to be followed precisely and perfectly without flaw or there is flaw within the Lieutenant. I'm stopping to whine and act my age. I wish to stop being so childish, if it'll make Captain Kensei happy, then-"

A fist was slammed on the table, frightening Mashiro and a few others. The bulky, calloused hand belonged to Kensei, who's eyebrows twitched in agitation.

"Mashiro, act like your normal self and complain or something, you're pissing me off!" Kensei yelled.

"But you said to-"

"I don't care what I said then, do what I'm saying now!"

Mashiro's expression changed from happy and calm to sad and offended. She looked down at her drawing, which was at most a five year old's work, depicting her and her friends. Lisa was reading a magazine, Hiyori and Shinji arguing, Love reading a comic book, Rose and Hacchi talking about something, and Kensei sparring with a punching bag, Mashiro sat in the middle with a smile, poor penmanship above all saying 'My Friends'.

The drawing became smudged as a tear landed on it, and she stood from her seat. She picked up the picture ad ripped it apart, throwing the pieces down with force.

"I don't get it, Kensei. You want me to be quiet and good, but now you want me to be childish and annoying? I don't understand! I don't... understand." Mashiro cried as she walked out her hands holding her head as she ran to her room.

All eyes went to Kensei.

"Go apologize, you jackass!" Lisa yelled, swatting him on the head with her magazine.

"Fine!" Kensei yelled, standing and running after her.

Mashiro was already back in her room, but Kensei quickly caught up with her, closing her door behind him. Mashiro sat on her bed, crying into her knees, in a fetal position. Kensei didn't quite know what to do, so he just did what his gut told him to do. No, not his gut, his heart. He walked over to her bed and sat down, looking at the floor.

"I'm sorry, Mashiro, I just-"

"Kensei, why are you so mean to me? Why do you always yell at me? Why...?" Mashiro tried to sound as childish as she could, but her tears forced her throat to catch, making her hiccup.

Kensei had to think. Why was he so mean to her? "Mashiro, I'm sorry. I just don't understand why I do that. I yell at you to be quiet because I like the quiet and-"

"If you like the quiet then I'll be quiet! I promise...!" Mashiro said, quieting down.

Kensei pulled her into a hug, petting her hair as she sobbed into his coat. "Mashiro, don't ever change for anyone. Just be yourself with the exception of being quiet in the given circumstance, okay?"

Mashiro nodded and hugged him back, holding onto him for dear life. "Did Lisa tell you?"

"If you're talking about the crush on me, then yes." Kensei sighed.

"I... I like you, Kensei... a lot. I don't know why I get so loud and annoying, I guess it's just how I am..." Mashiro sighed, still hugging Kensei.

"And please, Mashiro," Kensei made her face him. "Don't ever change. Just be appropriate."

He hugged her tightly and whispered into her ear, "I love you, too, Mashiro."

She was delighted to hear it and started to squeal with joy before Kensei placed his lips over hers to quiet her down. She smiled and leaned into the kiss, happy to be quiet... at least for now.


End file.
